A collection of short news stories from this week.

I recently talked with Carrie Conaway, Harvard lecturer and former Massachusetts state administrator, about the challenges coronavirus presents for state ed. departments.

School districts are competing against each other for purchases of digital devices as remote learning expands to schools across the country.

A sea of red swept the capitals of North and South Carolina on Wednesday, as thousands of teachers turned out to demand higher pay and more school funding.

With schools shut down, social distancing in place, and parents at home, after-school programs are laying off staff and switching gears to meet families' needs.

With many school buildings closed for the rest of the academic year—and more to follow—district leaders turn their attention to making up for what may be deep learning losses.

Districts that can screen, interview, and select candidates virtually will have less disruption to their hiring, despite how coronavirus is upending every aspect of school operations.

Coronavirus has shut down schools across the country, forcing millions of students to learn at home. In this video, families from Seattle to Maine describe how they are adjusting to this new reality.

"We have a responsibility to save lives," Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine said on Twitter. "We could have waited to close schools, but based on advice from health experts, this is the time to do it."

With many school buildings closed for the rest of the academic year—and more to follow—district leaders turn their attention to making up for what may be deep learning losses.

With schools shut down, social distancing in place, and parents at home, after-school programs are laying off staff and switching gears to meet families' needs.

"In communities most devastated by COVID-19, academic achievement is pretty far down on the priority list—this is the reality," says Wyoming state chief Jillian Balow.

At least four Kentucky school districts were forced to close last Thursday as hundreds of teachers called in sick to continue protesting what they believe to be anti-public education proposals in the state legislature.

With many school buildings closed for the rest of the academic year—and more to follow—district leaders turn their attention to making up for what may be deep learning losses.

The momentum to raise teacher salaries in several states has ground to a halt amid fears of coronavirus’ massive economic blow.

A Nebraska senator introduced a bill that would give teachers legal cover to physically restraint disruptive students, prompting a strong positive response from members of the state teachers' union.

"Educators are completely redesigning instructional delivery while constantly being thrown new rules. It's like 'flying the plane as you build it,'" says Maddie Fennell.

A collection of short news stories from this week.

Schools may have to continue closures in the fall if the coronavirus resurges, state schools chiefs in Maryland and Washington said. The warnings came the same week thata key federal official predicted schools would be able to reopen for the 2020-21 school year.

New York superintendents who shared services reported more cost savings and improved service quality than improved student achievement, according to a new research brief.

Private schools in New York soon will be required to report suspected sexual abuse of students in their schools to law enforcement, bringing the independent schools under the same rules as public schools.

More than half of all states have ordered schools closed for multiple weeks to help slow the pandemic.

Hopson became the interim superintendent in Shelby County, Tenn., in 2013 after the Memphis City School system merged with Shelby County schools. That merger then led six suburban communities to break away from the merged school system to form their own school districts.

Tennessee improved its teacher evaluation and training systems by integrating data and teacher voice, according to a new report. But value-added measures that evaluate teachers based on student test scores remain controversial.

With schools shut down, social distancing in place, and parents at home, after-school programs are laying off staff and switching gears to meet families' needs.

Emotions remain raw as educators and residents in a rural Wisconsin district dig for solutions after being denied the option of dissolving.

A special state panel in Wisconsin has rejected a financially strapped district's request to dissolve.

The firing of a black staff member for repeating the n-word while telling a black student not to use it underscores how uneasy many districts, schools, and educators are with handling the use of racist language in any context.

The bill would have given public school teachers at least six weeks of paid maternity leave.

Hawaii teachers have joined the Red for Ed movement: Last week, dozens of teachers across the state staged a "walk-in" protest to spread awareness about what they see as a lack of funding for public schools.

Teachers are asking for support for a ballot measure that would put in place a property tax to fund schools.

With many school buildings closed for the rest of the academic year—and more to follow—district leaders turn their attention to making up for what may be deep learning losses.

Educators are struggling to learn how to use new tech tools—devices, apps, software, and online textbooks—in greater volume than ever before.

Social distancing is forcing school business to be conducted virtually, putting school boards in the difficult spot of making crucial decisions on spending and other issues without the same level of public input.

Schools must make the critical decision whether to reinforce the learning that students have already done this year or introduce new content.

Education Week catches you up on the week gone by with a thoughtful look at recent news in K-12 education.

With schools shut down, social distancing in place, and parents at home, after-school programs are laying off staff and switching gears to meet families' needs.

Educators are struggling to learn how to use new tech tools—devices, apps, software, and online textbooks—in greater volume than ever before.

Dougherty County, a largely black school district in an region heavily affected by coronavirus, is no longer subject to desegregation orders first imposed in 1963.

Lester coached at Maryland from 1969-71. He was 96.

The university’s Center for Vaccine Research is working to create a coronavirus vaccine.

Oregon State gets a commitment from 4-star linebacker.

Download the Pac-12 Now app to watch an epic, triple-overtime 2003 battle between USC and California this Saturday at 1:30 p.m. PT/ 2:30 p.m. MT. The game will be available to all fans.

"One scenario we are not working on is not playing football."

All Northshore public schools will be closed beginning Thursday for up to 14 days because of COVID-19 concerns, the district announced Wednesday evening as it transitions to an online-only model.